Intra-Party Blah Blah Blah

My calves hurt. That's all there is to it. It is a sad state of affairs, brought on by my own actions. Walking four(ish) precincts over the weekend for Joe Mallahan for Mayor was fun and tiring.

It was interesting, though, in that of the four precincts that got the full treatment, only one had actually been lit dropped by its PCO. I'm not sure whether the other three just didn't have PCO's, or if the members of the Party didn't feel the need to make that extra effort, to get out the vote for our candidates. Walking a precinct doorbelling is long, and a lot of work. Doing a straight lit drop is much easier, and I would venture a guess that most people could probably do their whole precinct, and two others, in as little as five hours.

And done. A reminder to voters to vote, a sample ballot of Democrat endorsed candidates, and free lit distribution for those who have been endorsed.

It makes me call in to question the importance of local LD endorsements. I've gone out and volunteered for four or five campaigns this year, and I've seen campaign volunteers from organizations that are non-partisan (technically), I've seen volunteers from labor, but I've seen very few actual Party members. That's not to say the people who donate, and go to special events...they may be there...but the regulars, the people who move for the passage of resolutions, who call for more accountability and responsiveness from elected officials...I see them at events, but actually hitting the pavement? Hitting the phones? Not so much.

But the one precinct that did get a lit drop, got a lit drop. In my district, I know that we have PCO's who make sure that every door gets our sample ballot, and some who will take lit from the campaigns as well. I don't know what our total PCO turnout was this year, but those sample ballots can be quite important for the non-sexy races - Port Commissioner, School Board, Charter Amendments (j/k). I can only hope that we are able to push out the Democratic vote for the candidates that we support best.

I have decided to update my predictions for the results. Again, not necessarily how I want things to go, just how I think they'll go.

Referendum 71 - APPROVED by at least 53%

I-1033 - NO by at least 50.01%

County Executive - VERY close, and too close to hypothosize on.

Seattle Mayor - MALLAHAN, 52%, McGinn - 40%, Write-In - 12%. I also expect to see a lot of under-votes for this race.

Seattle City Attorney - I have no idea. The late voters may be swayed by the cop being shot.

Seattle City Council, Pos. 2- Conlin, 64%, Ginsberg, 36%

Seattle City Council, Pos. 4 - Sally Bagshaw - 62%, David Bloom - 38%

Seattle City Council, Pos. 6 - Nick Licata - 56%, Jessie Israel - 44%

Seattle City Council, Pos. 8 - Either Rosencrantz, 52%, O'Brien 48% or O'Brien 58%, Rosencrantz 42%

Seattle School Board, Pos. 5 - Kay Smith Blum, 54%, Mary Bass, 46%

Seattle School Board, Pos. 7 - I have no idea.

Seattle Prop. 1 (Housing Levy) - Yes - 64%, No - 46%